THE SHENANDOAH.

West Coast Times, Issue 120, 5 February 1866, Page 2

THE SHENANDOAH.

Tho notorious Shonandoah, ono of tho Confedora to cruisoiy which lias boon proying upon American whalers so long after tho war was ovor, camo most unexpectedly into tho port of Liverpool on November G, and surrendered to her Majesty's ship Donegal, tho guard-ship lying in tho Mersey. Ifc is said that the first quostion tho captain of tho Shcnandoah askod of tho pilot who boarded him was whothor tho war wns over. ThisYcssol formerly tho Sort King, was fitted up ns a Confederate cruiser whon tho American struggle was drawing lo a close, and consequently sho had comparatively littlo chanco of committing ravages upon Northern shipping. Aftor tho closo of tho war, howovor, having obtained a qunutity of supplies at Melbourne, Iho Shonandoah appeared in tho Oohotsk Sea and in Behrinp's Straits, and did infinito damngo to tho whaling fleet. It is estimated that sinco her depredations in thoso seas began sho has destroyed iv all nearly 40 vcssols, tho majority of them m balers s and it. is known that sperm oil bus in' consequence 'advanced from £70 lo £120 por tun, nnd that, owing to tho scarcity of this nrlielo from the destruction of those vessels, prices may advance from 25 to 50 per cent, higher still. Captain | Waddell, tho commander of tho Slicnandoab, states that Iho last vessol ho spoko was tho Barracouta, from Liverpool for San Francisco, from which ho learnt that tho South was really and truly defeated. On this ho nt onco stowod away his gnus nnd ammunition in tho hold, and steered for Liverpool, stopping at no other port. On arriving near tho port, ho took a pilot on board, nnd finding the mows of tho defeat of Iho Confederacy was correct, ho desired him to take tho Shcnundoah nlongsido a man-of-war, if thcro was ono in iho river. Tho ox-cruiser wns, in conscqucnco, placed alongside tho Donegal, and a crew from that vessel was placed in charge of her, somo customs officers boing also in ohargo with thorn. Captain Wnddell wns more than onco told, it is said, whilo cruising in tho Pacific, of tho termination of tho war ;but no hiainforniants wcro tho crows of the Northern vcssols ho destroyed, ho persistently refused to give crcdenco to tho statement. On the night of "Wednesday, Nov. 8, Cnpr. Paynter, of tho Donegal, liberated unconditionally tho captain nnd crew of tho Bhonnndoah, by ordor of tho Government, Tho vessel horsolfwas subsequently handed over, with all hor stores, to Iho American viceconsul at Liverpool. Tho Shcnandoah sailed on Nov. 21 for America.